Switch-operating rod.



No. 880,667. PATENTED MAR. 3, 1908.

W. W. JOHNSTON.

SWITCH OPERATING ROD. APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1907.

WILTON W. JOHNSTON, OF HAMMOND, INDIANA.

SWITCH-OIERATING ROD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March .3, 1908.

Application filed May 17. 1907- Serial No. 374.160.

To all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, WILTON W. JOHNSTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hammond, in the county of Lake and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Switch-Operating Rod, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto switch operating rods, the object being to provide'a yieldable switch operating rod, so that the same will give when the train runs through a switch, so as to prevent the rod from being broken.

Another object of my invention is to provide a switch operating rod which is very simple and cheap in construction, and one which can be readily attached to the ordinary switch now in use.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a spring switch rod with very novel means for tightening the tension of the springs.

WVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and point ed out in the claims.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification:-Figure 1 is a plan View of a portion of the main track and siding showing my improved switch operating rod applied. Fig. 2 is a side view of my improved switch operating rod. Fig. 3 is a detailed view of the same. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of a switch operating rod, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of Fig. 4.

In the drawing A indicates the main track, B the siding O the switch points connecting the same D the switch-stand and E my improved operating rod.

The switch points O are connected together adjacent their free ends, by a bar F which extends out through 0 enings formed in the fixed rails and is provided with a reduced apertured end F. It will be seen that by connecting the points together, they will move in unison, so that when either points are in engagement with the adjacent fixed rail, the other point will be drawn away from its adjacent fixed rail.

Arranged to one side of the main track is a switch stand D consisting of a double crank D mounted in ournals D secured on the ties. The double-crank D is provided with an operating lever D at one end, and an arm D at the other end which forms a stop for the same, so as to prevent the crank from being swung too far by the operating lever. While I have shown and described this particular construction'of switch-stand, it is of course understood that any desirable form of stand canbe used.

The bar F is connected to the switch-stand by my improved operating rod E which consists of a flat rod provided with an apertured end which is pivotally connected to the reduced end F of the bar F by a bolt. The other end of the rod is bifurcated and extends over the double-crank D over which is arranged the box Gr mounted on the bar which consists of a duplicate pair of plates provided with semi-circular openings in their ad.- j acent edges arranged on each side of the bar having reduced ends which are connected'together by bolts G which extend through the slot formed by the bifurcation, so that the pairs of plates will slide freely up and down on the bar. The forked arms of the bar are reduced and threaded over which is slidably mounted a spaced apertured plate H which is secured in place by nuts working on the threaded arms. Arranged over the bar between the plate and the adjacent pair of plates is a coiled spring, I one end of which bears against the plate, and the other end against the shoulders formed by reducing the plates. The bar is provided with spaced openings adjacent the end of the slot, in one of which is secured a bolt carrying a crossbar J forming a stop for a coiled spring K ar-' ranged between said bar, and the other pair of plates in a similar manner to the spring I. It will be seen that by operating the stand, the spring will be strong enough to throw the switch, but will yield if the points are engaged by the flange of the wheel of the train if the switch is not reversed,so as to prevent the rod from being broken.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4 I provide the switch rod especially adapted to be used on switch-stands which are provided with triangular plates for operating the rod, instead of crank. The rod in this case is formed of a pair of flat rods L and M, arranged side by side, the rod L being provided with spaced slots, through which extend bolts M arranged in spaced openings formed in the bar M, so that the bars can slide one upon the other.

A cross bar N is secured on the bar M adjacent each bolt which is engaged by one end of the springs O arranged around the bars, the other end of the spring engages a crossbar 1? secured on the bar L, centrally between the slot 8, so as to form a spring connection between the bars for the purpose hereinbefore described. The bar M is adapted to be connected to the bar carried by the switch points, and the bar L carries a link Q which is connected tothe triangular plate R of the switch-stand.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A switch operating rod comprising a bifurcated rod having a duplicate pair of spring actuated plates slidably mounted on said rod.

2. A switch operating rod comprising a rod having a bifurcated end, the forked arms of which are reduced and threaded, a duplicate pair of plates slidably mounted on said arms, a cross bar secured to said bar adjacent the end of the bifurcation, a plate mounted on the ends of said bars, nuts working on the threaded ends of said arms, and springs arranged on said arms between the duplicate pairs of plates and the cross bar andplate.

' 3. A switch rod comprising a flat rod pro- Vided with a bifurcated end forming forked arms having threaded ends, a plate slidably mounted on said arms nuts mounted on the ends of said arms, a cross-bar secured on said bar adjacent the ends of the bifurcation, a

duplicate pair of plates provided with semicircular openings arranged on each end of said arms connected together by bolts and coiled springs arranged on said arms between said duplicate plates and cross-bar and plates. i. The combination with pivoted switch points, of a switch-stand provided with a crank, of an operating rod connected to said points carrying a spring actuated box mounted on said crank, for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination with a pair of switch points connected together by a bar, of a switch stand provided with a double crank, a rod carried by the bar connecting the points provided with a bifurcated end extending over said crank, a sectional box mounted on said bar arranged over said crank, and springs arranged over said bar to each side of said box.

6. The combination with switch points connected together by a bar, of a switch stand provided with a double-crank, of a bar connected to the bar carried by the point said bar being provided with a bifurcated. end extending over said double crank, a plate adjustably mounted on the ends of said arms formed by the bifurcation, a bar secured on said bar adjacent the end of said bifurcation, a sectional box arranged over said doublecrank, slidably mounted in said bifurcation, and springs arranged between the said box and plate and box and bar, for the purpose set forth.

WILTON W. JOHNSTON.

Witnesses:

G. G. Asx, L. GOLDEN. 

